News Update From Ft. McPherson - Monday August 27th, 2001

Our family is standing at the Arctic Circle momument on the Dempster Highway.
Ft. McPherson is located about 100 miles north of this.

Beginning of the Alaska Highway at Dawson City, British Columbia.

Upslope conditions over the Arctic Continental Divide.

Border of Yukon & Northwest Territories, high in the clouds.

Crossing the Peel River by ferry boat, 8 miles out of Ft. McPherson.

Karen & Rodger at welcome sign.

Dear Friends, Our family arrived in Ft. McPherson on Monday. Our only
problem was one shredded tire on the Dempster. Everything took much
longer, and was much more work & expense than we could have envisioned.
It was awful leaving those we love so much..we considered, and would
have brought several of them with us. It will always be remembered as
one of the most painful experiences of our life. Our last Sunday we had
a baptism service. It all seems so strange, but we feel it all has been
the Lord's will.
We got away on Saturday the 11th and went to Valleyview, Alberta.
Each following days travel took us to Beaver Lodge, Alberta - Moberly
Lake, B.C. - Ft. Nelson, B.C. - Liard River, Yukon - Some river on
Alaska Hyw. - Whitehorse, Yukon - Klondike River, Yukon - Rock River,
Yukon - Ft. McPherson, NWT. We camped most nights, stayed with friends
a couple nights, and only got a motel one night.
Old Crow is only 140 air miles from here and a lot of people here
are our friends simply because we are close friends with their relatives
in Old Crow. Also, some of our friends from Old Crow live here now as
well. Since most people live here in town, instead of being spread out
all over the country, we have a lot of contact every day with a lot of
different people. This evening a lady who was a girl growing up in Old
Crow, when we lived there, invited us to a birthday party for one of her
children. She cried and cried as she spoke of the difficulties she
faces and shared her Christian faith.
For now we are living in the home of friends who are away for a
month. By the time they get back, we hope to be moved in our own
house. Housing is a problem here, as it is in all remote Arctic
villages. Everything is very expensive up here, and in order to have
finances to do our mission work, we will have to live in a house without
running water, but we will have electricity. Please keep us in your prayers. In Jesus, Rodger, Karen, & Family